[Davis Democrats] Dem Sen Campaign Committee; state by state analysis

Thu Jul 17 14:42:12 PDT 2008

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From: DSCC Rant <info at dscc.org>
Reply-To: <info at dscc.org>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:37:30 -0400 (EDT)
To: <jac07 at dcn.org>
Subject: Third-party attacks

<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=L2bVsFOV57A7g9mpFDN83HN
9SK7jFCJz>   

<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=z7YrOQtyg%2FjcZePPmJp9L
ArOCeMTDDB%2F> Table of Contents
* Colorado: Schaffer Surprise <#CO>
* Strong Democratic Fundraising Performance <#money>
* Republican Smear Machine Roaring Back To Life <#smear>
* Quote of the Week <#quote>
* Alaska: Heating Up <#alaska>
* Kansas: No State is Off the Table <#kansas>
* Maine: Collins is No Moderate <#maine>
* Minnesota: Our Favorite Ad <#minnesota>
* New Hampshire: Third-party Attacks <#newhampshire>
* North Carolina: Cutting Dole's Advantage <#northcarolina>

 Colorado: Schaffer Surprise

 Surprise!  Colorado Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer is embroiled
in another scandal.

 This time, he's in hot water over an oil deal he negotiated in Iraqi
Kurdistan when he was serving as a big-shot executive for Big Oil.  It turns
out that the U.S. State Department had specifically warned energy firms
against just these kinds of deals with the Kurdistan Regional Government,
fearing the destabilizing effect they might have on the delicate situation
in Iraq.

 It takes a lot of chutzpah to sign a contract against State Department
advice in a country where American troops are squarely in harm's way.  

 So what's Bob's excuse?  He claims that he "didn't experience any
discouragement" from making the deal.  But a recent Huffington Post analysis
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=m8aotqYtJhhGzN7zEe6aonN
9SK7jFCJz>  of press reports from that time period found that government
officials from George Bush on down all publicly criticized the arrangements
before Schaffer's firm struck its deal.

 You can almost hear Schaffer stammering out another excuse:  Oh, you mean
THAT kind of discouragement!  When you add this to the already festering
Jack Abramoff scandal
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=LUM5tyD6d%2FlJ63ZW6a9ZT
HN9SK7jFCJz>  dogging Schaffer at every turn, you begin to understand how
big an opportunity this race is for the DSCC and for Democratic candidate
Mark Udall.

 There's a lot of ground to cover between now and Election Day, but one
thing is clear: we're going to do everything we can to win in Colorado.

 Strong Democratic Fundraising Performance

 Over the last week or so, second-quarter fundraising reports have been
streaming in from across the country, and the news looks very good for
Democratic Senate candidates.

 In seven of the top races for Republican-held seats, our challengers
actually outraised their opponents.  In four others, Democrats trailed
well-heeled incumbents by only small margins.

 Click here to see a state-by-state breakdown of Democratic fundraising
success. 
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=eSXUacXHw6FtrSncY0aSt3N
9SK7jFCJz> 

 It's a rare thing for a challenger to match an incumbent in campaign cash. 
But this year, we've developed the winning strategy and serious momentum to
hold our own.  In state after state, we're shrinking the Republican
cash-on-hand advantage, just like we did in 2006.

                                              The DSCC will make sure that
cash-on-hand advantage all but disappears.  We had $17 million more than our
Republican counterparts at the NRSC at the end of May.  You can be certain
that we'll use that money to level the playing field for any Democratic
Senate candidate who needs our help to win.

 Republican Smear Machine Roaring Back To Life

 The only thing that could prevent us from matching the Republicans
dollar-for-dollar this cycle is the right wing's shadowy network of
third-party organizations that make up their devious smear machine. 
Terrified of losing their last shred of power in Washington, the Republicans
are already rushing to resurrect the gang that brought you those Swift Boat
Veterans for Truth.  

 The latest news has Freedom's Watch, a vicious right-wing front group
founded by Ari Fleischer, announcing that they are expanding their
operations to include Senate campaigns.  They're hiring key staff from all
the worst places: the Bush campaign team, the national Republican Party, and
a couple of infamous right-wing organizations.

 Freedom's Watch is certain to have plenty of money because, under campaign
finance rules, they can raise huge sums from just a few anonymous donors. 
They spent $15 million on their launch campaign last year and have already
spent more than $1 million on just two special elections in 2008.  Some even
speculate that their final total this year could be more than $200 million.

                                              This could spell big trouble
for our candidates unless we do something about it.  The DSCC can't level
the playing field if Freedom's Watch neutralizes our fundraising advantage.

 Now is not the time to back down.  Our candidates need us.  The DSCC needs
your help to make sure Democratic Senate campaigns have all the resources
they need to stand up to the Republican attacks that are sure to come.

 Click here to make a secure online contribution.  It's the only way we'll
be able to fight back against the attacks and win a filibuster-proof
majority. 
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=rHM2Q4PqjAqjgIsNjuh5O3N
9SK7jFCJz>     

 Quote of the Week

                                              "We have no safe seats right
now." 
 - Scott Bensing, Executive Director of the NRSC

 Alaska: Heating Up

 Democrat Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage, launched his first TV ads
last week.  The spots blanketed the state and focused on the Begich family's
long history of public service.

                                              The latest polls show that
Republican incumbent Ted Stevens, who has been hounded by constant scandal,
only leads this race by 4 points.  The new TV ads from Begich are essential
to closing that gap.

 Kansas: No State is Off the Table

 A month ago, we told you Kansas was on the brink of becoming seriously
competitive.  Earlier this week, there was even more evidence for that when
Republican Senator Pat Roberts took to the airwaves with a mudslinging TV ad
slamming Democratic candidate and former Congressman Jim Slattery.

 Make no mistake, when an entrenched Republican like Roberts in a reliably
Republican state starts launching attack ads this early, before the race
even gets started, that only means one thing: Roberts is worried.  Very
worried.

 Last month, one poll showed this race in the single digits, and it's
probably even closer now.  We have a real opportunity in this race, and the
DSCC is committed to giving our candidate everything he needs to win.

 Maine: Collins is No Moderate

 Republican incumbent Susan Collins loves to portray herself as the epitome
of a moderate centrist.  Why then did so many Mainers have so much trouble
telling her positions apart from George Bush's policies?

 Click here to watch our new video exposing Susan Collins' real record to
Maine voters. 
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=za4YCditTOm79%2FcCFRLmc
3N9SK7jFCJz> 

 The people we talked to were shocked to learn about Collins' tendency to
say one thing and do another.  But they were excited to learn that
Democratic Congressman Tom Allen is ready to take on Collins in November.

 The enthusiasm shows.  Last quarter, Collins only out raised Allen by a
scant $56,000 
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=cEjgvwGU%2BeKmucgceblkk
nN9SK7jFCJz> .  That's a tiny margin for an incumbent in danger of losing
her seat. 

 Everyone agrees we need change from George Bush's failed status quo.  Our
job is to make sure they know Susan Collins was a big part of these
failures.

 Minnesota: Our Favorite Ad

 Al Franken's innovative campaign in Minnesota is seeing results.  

 Franken is succeeding, in part, by airing one of our favorite political ads
so far this cycle.  He asks one simple question: Should we be pouring our
resources into Iraq or do we need to invest in the future of our own country
first?

 Click here to watch Al Franken's recent ad.  It's my favorite so far.
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=IrbkGfncLj44GUW34VS0HXN
9SK7jFCJz>  

 It's powerful stuff, and it's working.  Take a look.

 New Hampshire: Third-party Attacks

 Let's be honest.  The shadowy third-party Republican attack dogs are scared
to death of losing John Sununu, one of the staunchest allies of the special
interests that fund these groups.

 That's about the only possible explanation for the radio ads last month
from Americans for Job Security that directly attacked Democrat Jeanne
Shaheen.  These attacks were so egregious that the New Hampshire Democratic
Party had to file a complaint to the FEC, asking the body to rule on the
tax-exempt status for AJS.

 But not even these sharpened knives can slow Shaheen down.  She's been on
the air with a TV spot of her own that emphasizes her experience as governor
and lays out her plan to tackle out-of-control gas prices.

                                              Shaheen refuses to get dragged
into the mud and the polls continue to show she's getting results.  No
wonder AJS is worried that Sununu is going to lose.

 North Carolina: Cutting Dole's Advantage

 Last week, Democrat Kay Hagan announced that her campaign raised $1.6
million in the second quarter of this critical election year, demonstrating
her strong campaign organization and her wide and growing support across
North Carolina.

                                              Republican incumbent Elizabeth
Dole, on the other hand, has been burning through her campaign war chest. 
Since April, she has spent more than $2 million on TV advertising trying to
shore up her support across the state.  

 Three months ago, Dole had 10 times as much campaign money as Hagan.  After
Hagan's success and Dole's expenditures, that advantage has been cut
<http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=um7pSJ2fcvaOBCNIrR84THN
9SK7jFCJz>  to just double.

 This sleeper race is beginning to pick up steam. Now it's up to all of us
to do our part so the DSCC can level the playing field as we charge toward
Election Day. 

 <http://www.democratsenators.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=hf8d3t2nCcI7g9mpFDN83H
N9SK7jFCJz> 

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